Hogwarts, A History: House Elves
by fanofdenial
Summary: Written for Hogwarts House Challenges: The Wonderful World of Magical Creatures competition, this one-shot tells the story of how the four founders decided to enslave house elves, and the debate that this caused.


**Precious metal: Palladium**

 **Prompts: House-elf/(Word) freedom, (Word) slavery, (Character) Helga Hufflepuff, (Quote) "It's both rebellion and conformity that attack you with success." by Amy Tan, (Dialogue) "Why must it be this way?"**

 **Word count: 1277**

"Thank you very much for your service Tabby," Godric Gryffindor said to the tiny House Elf as he peered over the fresh cup of tea that she had just served him. "As usual, your service is simply phenomenal. Here is your pay," he added, handing her five knutts.

"Master Gryffindor is once again too generous with his wages," Tabby squeaked in her high pitched voice.

"Too generous?" Helga Hufflepuff protested. "Five knutts can buy barely anything! Whatever do you mean that it is too generous?"

"Tabby doesn't need to buy a thing, Mistress Hufflepuff. Tabby is happy to simply serve the four great founders of Hogwarts," the little elf explained to Helga, her orb-like eyes trained earnestly on the kind witch in front of her.

"Why don't you spend it on getting yourself some new clothes?" Helga suggested gently, eyeing the tattered towel that the elf wore.

"Tabby likes clothes very much, Tabby does indeed, but it is not very practical for a house elf to wear other clothes, because a house elf is always cleaning," she explained squeakily.

"What do the other elves think?" Helga inquired.

"They agree with Tabby, they do!"

"Why are we wasting our money paying the blasted elves when they don't want it?" Salazar Slytherin interjected roughly. "They're happy just serving us, so why don't we just stop paying them?"

"Salazar! How could you suggest such a thing?" Helga protested loudly, very much at odds with her usually quiet demeanor. "You're suggesting that we subject them to slavery?"

"It's not slavery if they like it," Slytherin sneered.

"You know," Gryffindor began, "I'm inclined to agree with my _friend_ on this one," he said, twisting the word to make his true opinion of the slippery wizard clear.

"Rowena?" Helga cried. "Help me out here?"

"There must be some truth to what Salazar is suggesting if even Godric is agreeing with him," Rowena pointed out dreamily, sounding as usual, as though she were deep in thought.

"Come on Helga, be courageous!" Gryffindor said in an attempt to try and rally her. "We must all be in agreement to make any changes, as we promised each other when we created Hogwarts."

"It is more important to be just and kind than to be brave, Godric." Helga said, uncharacteristically scathingly.

"Oh please, not that debate again," Slytherin said, rolling his eyes.

Helga examined her friends, as well as the little elf in front of her, who seemed not the least bit dismayed at the idea of losing her freedom. One could almost say that she looked _happy_ at the prospect _._

"I need the night to think this over," Helga said heavily as she rose from the table and left the room in a pensive silence.

xxxxx

Once she had reached her room, she spoke out loud to the empty room. "Tabby?" With a loud crack like that of a whip, the elf appeared before her.

"Mistress called for Tabby?"

"Yes Tabby. If you don't mind, I'd like to talk to you."

"Of course! Anything Mistress desires!" The elf cried sincerely.

"Please, call me Helga."

"If mistress insists," Tabby said doubtfully, before her eyes grew wide in horror. "Tabby called Mistress Mistress. Oh! Tabby did it again. Sorry Helga, Tabby is a bad elf!" Grabbing the candlestick on Helga's nightstand, she began beating herself over the head with it crying, "Bad Tabby! Bad elf!"

Horrified, Helga cried out for her to stop as with a flick of her wand, she banished the candlestick from the elf's grasp.

"Why-ever would you do that to yourself, Tabby?" Helga asked in dismay.

"Tabby did something that mist-Helga (she spasmed as though about to reach for another club-like object but stopped at the look on Helga's face) asked her not to do," Tabby replied as though the answer were obvious.

"I don't think I'll ever understand that logic," Helga said, looking distinctly deflated. "Here's another question for you—how can you be so readily prepared to give up freedom?"

The elf seemed to consider the statement seriously, before replying carefully, "Tabby and the other elves do not feel like they are giving anything up, because they will keep doing what they love, and won't have to be paid anymore which makes them feel bad."

"So you really wouldn't mind if we enslaved you? It would actually make you happy?" Helga pressed.

"Very happy." Tabby squeaked in affirmation.

"Very well. Thank you for your time, Tabby. You are _free_ to go," Helga said, unable to help herself from employing the use of the word.

Nodding respectfully, the elf disappeared with the usual loud crack.

Helga sat for a long while, gazing into space, trying to decide what the right, just thing was to do. The phrase, "It's both rebellion and conformity that attack you with success," kept echoing through her mind. What would make her quest for justice a success? Conforming with her fellow founders beliefs, or putting her foot down, rebelling, refusing to listen to their voice, and instead following her gut instinct? What about the voice of the house elves? Their views conformed with those of the other three founders. Wasn't it their opinion that was the one that truly mattered in this instance? With a sigh, Helga realised that she had come to her decision.

xxxxx

The following morning, Helga arose bright and early, eager to get the confrontation over with.

"I have reached my decision," she announced as she walked into their dining room.

"And?" Slytherin demanded, arching an eyebrow.

"We may enslave the elves," Helga began, before she was interrupted by (slightly sarcastic) clapping from Slytherin and a loud "Whoop!" from Gryffindor. Rowena simply smiled mysteriously at her, as though she knew that there was more.

"We may enslave the elves," Helga repeated, raising her voice slightly. "On one condition."

Salazar gave his standard eye-roll, both at her and at Gryffindor who had begun childishly protesting loudly.

"We may enslave them, so long as we provide a means to free them." Helga stated firmly.

"Why-ever would we do that?" Gryffindor asked.

Helga sucked in a nervous breath. Rowena nodded encouragingly at her, and she drew courage from it. "The reason that we believe that we are justified in our actions is because the elves don't seem to mind not being paid. Should there ever be an elf who does NOT desire the magical bondage we will be creating, they should immediately be freed, and thus, we must create the means to do so," she explained, trying to sound firm and assertive.

"And what do you suggest?" Slytherin asked mockingly.

Raising her chin, she replied, "Clothes."

"Clothes?" Gryffindor asked; sceptical.

"They seem to be the symbol of their service to us, or rather, the lack there-of seems to be, therefore it seems only fitting that to free an elf, a wizard need only present said elf with clothes," Helga explained.

"Very well," Slytherin said. "If that's what it will take to pacify you, so be it. I see no problem in creating a loop hole if it will never be used, since no elf will ever want to be freed," he said mockingly.

Helga ignored him, not wanting to let his arrogance mar her triumph and relief.

While Helga's loophole often became abused, both through its lack of use as well as in its misuse, stories can also be found of when wizards and elves put it to good use, as well as when it saved the day by providing a way in which wizards could sneakily free elves from abusive masters. While there are a handful of such stories, there is one particularly famous one...but that is for another day.


End file.
